The Forgotten Reading Proficiencies: Knowledge & Stamina Elfrieda H. Hiebert TextProject & University of California, Santa Cruz
Hasbrouck & Tindal Oral Reading Fluency Norms: Over 25 Years 50 th percentile 25 th Percentile 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 1992 2006 2017 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Comprehension info. from NAEP
The Forgotten Proficiencies Background Knowledge Stamina
Background Knowledge
Background Knowledge
Unique Words in 3 Trade books
Rare Words in 3 Trade books
Leveled text--intervention program (Gr. 3 Levels) LEVEL N LEVEL O LEVEL P NONFICTION: *All about volcanoes *Chester Greenwood's big idea *Sneezes & sniffles *Eugenie Clark, shark lady *All about astronauts *The Asian unicorn NONFICTION: Jump in: It's double Dutch *Lunch to go *Noses of the pros *Protecting the Kakapo *Scott Weaver, Toothpick sculptor *Six snakes that share our world NONFICTION: *Changing lives with music *Finding tasty foods in unlikely places *Frank Nasworthy's wonder wheels *How a comic book is made *One lake, one home
Unique Words in 6 texts (same level)
Rare Words in 6 texts (same level)
Sets of texts (n = 4350 words) 1700 1500 1300 1100 900 700 500 300 3 tradebooks 6 Leveled Texts Unique Words Rare Words
Background Knowledge Readers background knowledge & vocabulary are the best predictors of comprehension. Knowledge resides in text. ELA periods need to give opportunities for students to develop bodies of background knowledge.
Small Changes for Background Knowledge
1. Support Students in Developing Areas of Expertise
Pairs of Topically Connected Texts
Rare Words in Leveled Texts Rare Words in Pairs of Topical Texts
Sets of texts (n = 4350 words) 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 208 203 88 200 0 1253 1268 1183 3 tradebooks 6 Leveled Texts Topical Pairs of Texts Unique Words Rare Words
2. Provide daily silent reading, especially with topically related informational texts
Readworks.org
Readworks.org has approximately 4,100 free passages for Grs. 1 to HS, including 120 curated sets of articles in the Readan-Article-a-Day initiative
Stamina
Words Per Minute Low/Moderate-Low Comprehenders: Silent Reading Tasks 100 185 90 Comprehension Online Online 180 80 70 175 60 170 50 40 165 30 160 20 10 155 Online Incl. reference 0 Online
Words Per Minute 188 Low/Moderate-Low Comprehenders: Silent Reading Tasks 100 Comprehension 183 90 80 178 70 60 173 50 168 40 30 163 20 10 158 Online Paper-and-Pencil Incl. reference 0 Online Paper-and-Pencil
NY State Test Gr. 3 (2018) One passage Oh, no! said Stella, as the string of her shark kite tangled with the string of a biplane kite. The biplane dove toward the ground, the grinning shark spiraling behind it. I feel like a spider in a web, she said, frowning as the tangled strings drifted down around her. I think that shark kite has too many strings, said the owner of the biplane kite, as he untangled his string from Stella s. My kite doesn t have too many strings, said Stella. It s a grownup s kite. That s why it s complicated to fly. You should really try flying a paper plate, said Stella s friend Robby.
Stella looked at Robby s kite. He had decorated a plate with stickers and a long yellow streamer and attached a string to it. Right now, is paper plate was flying so high that Stella could hardly see it. Your shark kite hasn t flow as high as my paper plate all day, said Robby, wiping his nose on his sleeve. Paper plates are for babies, said Stella. She felt like being mean, because her shark kite could hardly fly. Just then Stella noticed a fluffy pink jellyfish kite sailing overhead, bobbing a little as it passed Robby s paper plate.
Stella wished she could trade her shark for that jellyfish. Stella wound the string of her fallen kite around its spool. Then holding the string near the shark s belly, she started running. If she could catch a tiny breeze, her kite would fly. Stella, it s almost time to go! called Stella s mother from a park bench in the shade. We have to pick up your sister at the pool. Come on, shark, fly! Stella said as she tossed the kite into a little puff of wind. For a moment, the shark looked as if it was swimming up into the sky.
Then, it dove back toward the grass, teeth and all. Maybe it s too heavy, said Robby. He tugged lightly on the string of his paper plate, which dipped gently in the air. It s not heavier than that one, said Stella. She pointed at an enormous monster truck kite gliding past Robby s paper plate. The monster truck had big black wings. I bet that kite weighs more than you do, Robby, said Stella. Robby squinted at the sky. No, it doesn t. I weigh forty pounds, he said. Stella, your sister is waiting, her mother called again. One more try, Mom, yelled Stella, running with the shark.
This time, the shark kept its nose pointed downward the whole time, refusing to fly at all. Stella tripped over the shark s fin and fell into the dirt. Come on, brush yourself off, Stella, said her mother. We re leaving. You can take my paper plate if you want, said Robby. At least you ll get to fly something today. He looked at Stella hopefully. Stella sighed. Robby s paper plate was nothing like the fancy shark she had imagined flying. But it did fly pretty high. O.K., Stella agreed with a shrug. She took Robby s string and felt the strong, steady pull of the kite dancing at its end.
She gave a slight tug. The paper plate swirled and floated even higher on the breeze. Stella smiled at Robby. You re right, she said. Paper plates do make good kites. You can keep it, said Robby. I ll make another one next weekend. Want to borrow the shark, then? asked Stella, handing the tangle of strings and the grinning shark to Robby. Maybe you can make it fly. Hey, thanks, he said. See you next weekend, Stella. Stella and her mother walked toward the car. Stella held the string of her new kite, and the paper plate sailed along above them, its yellow streamer wriggling through the air.
What happened to your shark kite? asked Stella s mother. Robby and I swapped for a while, Stella replied. As Stella rode in the car, she held on to the paper plate s string and watched it bob next to her window. I bet that big old shark couldn t do this! she laughed.
Stamina Most students don t read enough silently to monitor their reading or to sustain attention over extended texts. Students need to be prepared to encounter 5 or 6 unknown words in every 100 words of text including proper names.
Small Changes for Stamina
1. Conversations About the Core Vocabulary CONVERSATIONS
NY Grade 3 Come on, shark, fly! Stella said as she tossed the kite into a little puff of wind. For a moment, the shark looked as if it was swimming up into the sky. Then, it dove back toward the grass, teeth and all. Maybe it s too heavy, said Robby. He tugged lightly on the string of his paper plate, which dipped gently in the air. It s not heavier than that one, said Stella. She pointed at an enormous monster truck kite gliding past Robby s paper plate. The monster truck had big black wings. I bet that kite weighs more than you do, Robby, said Stella.
NY Grade 5 Finally, they tired of it and ran off past Mrs. Majeska. She looked down at the sorry thing they had been kicking. It was another black glove, of the same size and shape as the one she had rescued. She examined it, yes, it was the mate to the other! Mrs. Majeska hesitated, then continued walking. It was only a glove, after all, not a child or a kitten or a wallet. Suddenly she stopped, turned around, and walked back to the crumpled bit of cloth. She picked it up, shook it out, brushed off the dirt. It looked almost as good as new.
NY Grade 7 We are waiting for a larger apartment upstairs which will become available at the end of February. Then Moy will finally have his own room. After our brief trip outside, we spent the afternoon cooking and talking. Papa wanted to hear about everything that s happened in Beau Jour since he s been gone. He had so many questions that even before we finished answering one question, he already had another. It seemed like he asked about everyone and everything he s ever known. Moy appeared to enjoy answering the questions the most because he was finally getting to speak to Papa, face -to-face, man to man.
2. Student setting & tracking of goals Goal: Increase amount of reading each trimester of the school year. Step 1: Get baseline data: Establish length of time spent reading Establish length of typical reading event Step 2: Set the goal (students in charge in Grades 3+; students guided in Grades 2-) Example: Goal for trimester: 22 min. daily, with at least one event for 5 min. Step 3: Always keep a record of what you ve learned from reading
2. Student setting & tracking of goals Goal: Increase amount of reading each trimester of the school year. Step 1: Get baseline data: Establish length of time spent reading Establish length of typical reading event Step 2: Set the goal (students in charge in Grades 3+; students guided in Grades 2-) Example: Goal for trimester: 22 min. daily, with at least one event for 5 min. Step 3: Always keep a record of what you ve learned from reading
Illustration of Student Goal Setting 25 20 Number of Minutes 15 10 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 Total Reading Longest Single Reading Event
2. Student setting & tracking of goals Goal: Increase amount of reading each trimester of the school year. Step 1: Get baseline data: Establish length of time spent reading Establish length of typical reading event Step 2: Set the goal (students in charge in Grades 3+; students guided in Grades 2-) Example: Goal for trimester: 22 min. daily, with at least one event for 5 min. Step 3: Always keep a record of what you ve learned from reading
What I read The Journey: Stories of Migration The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman What I want to remember Some animals, like the gray whale, travel thousands of miles each year looking for food at different seasons. The idea of sending a puppet or doll on a trip is fascinating. I wonder if someone could really do this great idea but really? New words I learned migrate baleen lagoons entertaining inspired gratitude mementos
The Forgotten Proficiencies Background Knowledge Stamina